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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24971521">Complications</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CheshireSmile/pseuds/CheshireSmile'>CheshireSmile</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff and Angst, Other Additional Tags to Be Added</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 00:35:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,924</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24971521</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CheshireSmile/pseuds/CheshireSmile</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Returning to chaotic normalcy means understanding that freedom is rife with contradiction</p><p>Understanding this from a logical perspective causes difficulties.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>86</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Calm Before the Storm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>first fic in... a long time. i wasn't huge into she-ra so forgive me if i forget some things from earlier seasons. also i don't have a beta reader oops</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Those who have the presence of mind to realize that the end is never truly here are quite invaluable in a political sense. The high of a battle won can cause many to revel in their elation. Then again, with so many young faces involved in such a costly battle, it is to be expected that consequences be put aside for a moment of brevity. </p><p>It’s unfortunate that it does have to be so brief.</p><p>Entrapta had herded Hordak into her temporary place of residence. Her ranting had not stopped throughout it either. She continued to regale tales of the adventure, of discoveries, and of new progress. Emily, her legs slotted against her body, stays in the admittedly crowded area off to the side. Her screen appears dim as she rests, conserving energy for another fruitful day that will happen tomorrow. </p><p>“And… I think that’s it! You’re all caught up now. Well, mostly. I think there may have been some details I was not aware of, but missing information can always be sought out later.” </p><p>His head tilts. At this moment, he momentarily neglected the heaviness that weighed under the rough skin beneath his eyes. The onslaught of new information combined with a newly gained sense of freedom has overwhelmed him. It is not often he is left speechless, but he finds himself with nothing to say. Even her departure to beast island-a recounting of events that left his clawed hands clenching into fists with a flare of anger-could not prompt even a growl from his throat. </p><p>If this bothered Entrapta, she did not let it show.  Instead, with tendrils of purple hair, she begins to rise up to better match his height. Other bundles of hair come up on his sides, wrapping around his arms while also tugging away at sleeves so she can better examine his form.</p><p>“Wow! I knew you looked different, but this is incredible! It seems your body has undergone immense repairs. Do you know how this was accomplished? Oh! Wait, did you get transferred to another body? Could Prime do that with other clones?”,  she continues to manipulate him as one would a doll, hooking gloved fingers through fabric and tugging and pushing to see hidden expanses of skin. Hordak, with a patience one would not expect from the former warlord, simply bats her frenzied hands away. </p><p>“…I am unsure of what the process was. I was… out of commission during such events. However, my bodily deterioration may have been reversed after returning to its original environment.” </p><p>He can only vaguely recall his death mission. Given nothing to aid him, the harsh world around him slowly began to wear down his physical abilities. He had to create each necessity for his body himself- had to figure out what would be nutritionally viable; had to build a shelter; had to maneuver his way through unfamiliar territory for longer than some of the princesses had even been alive. Of course, such trials caused stress, and many creatures experience physiological symptoms under duress. He supposes it also did not help that he sustained many injuries in his time as well.</p><p>Entrapta nods, still too engrossed in checking him over to meet his gaze directly. He adjusts his undershirt to fall more properly over his skin after being rustled by the princess, only for his fussing to be interrupted by her palm on his cheek. Her fingers, curled underneath his chin, push him to look side-to-side.</p><p>“You’ll need to tell me more about this later. If prolonged exposure to the general atmosphere of Etheria was the cause, then that’s going to be trouble for all the newly freed clones”, she says.  The defect he spoke of was something she had assumed had to do with the state of his physical form. After experiencing the dynamics of those under Prime, new theories began to formulate in her mind. Perhaps the true error in his cloning was Hordak’s growing individuality. Wrong Hordak showed no sign of concern when it came to self-preservation after being disconnected, leading her to believe that a clone left alone would most likely have no idea what to do.</p><p>Hordak, however, was different in numerous ways. She could easily see a situation where the clone approached the very deity he worshipped, desperate to show his unique ability and proficiency by going outside of direct orders. He did mention being a general at one point, didn’t he? And generals tend to make decisions themselves during battle.</p><p>“I will do my best.”<br/>
His ears lower themselves, tilted at a slight angle. His lack of pupils makes it impossible to discern when he looks directly at her or when his focus is elsewhere. She finds this reassuring, actually. Maintaining eye contact has always been an annoyance.  With her lips quirked into a smile, she finally lets go of his jaw.</p><p>“Maybe now you’ll be more open to telling me about the habits of your species! I tried my best to record possible times of rest and nutritional rejuvenation, but I couldn’t always keep track of where you were. The fright zone was really big, after all. Oh, speaking of the past, we should make a plan in case the princesses come up with a really harsh sentence for us. We could leave now, but I surmise that taking responsibility for our actions would be the right thing to do, given that the punishment is not something entirely irreversible.”</p><p>The thought had entirely slipped his mind. He cannot even be surprised that Entrapta would think about squirming her way out of something that might impede her continued work in technology. </p><p>“It won’t be death, that I know. As a figurehead, that would cause a lot of political issues for me, and I assisted in the rescue of several notable people as well. And, in your case, execution is highly unlikely as well. That could have been done while you were hosting Prime, after all- unless they plan to extract information from you first before doing so. “</p><p>His jaw clenches. Green eyes squint under a slightly pained expression. Questioning will prove to be an issue. Flashes of recollection are present, but full memories are hard to retrieve. He wonders if he sustained some neurological damage after his repeated re-conditionings. The ability to retrieve past information could be hindered. He will have to look into it on his own, at some point. Entrapta finally lowers herself back to the floor. </p><p>He looks at her, really looks at her. Before, caught up in the emotions of being reunited, his focus was on her words, her breathing, and the heat of life that pulsated from underneath her skin. Now, he notes that she’s since lost weight-presumably after being stranded-and has pulled her coveralls properly up and over her shoulders. Other than these few changes, she remains… the same. A picture of what once was and what life could continue to be.<br/>
“…Entrapta.” </p><p>She hums in acknowledgement. Her head tilts up to look at him. Her stare is never still regardless. Entrapta’s focus constantly shifts from small details off to the side or other areas of his body before zooming back to his visage. </p><p>“Your ability to withstand tribulations is… noted. Despite various circumstances, you remain competent and able to perform just as you did within the Horde.”</p><p>He has his arms held behind his back, posture still straight and professional. With her smile still sharp, Entrapta extends a hand up to his shoulder. He finds himself relieved that he can still recall when she did the same with her hair after the construction of the armour. Just as he did back then, the tension in his shoulders begins to fade. His arms fall to his sides as he watches her eyes crinkle under her grin.<br/>
“I missed you too, Hordak.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>slowly getting used to writing again we gotta get past the rough patch</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Right Thing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>There needs to be more time to discuss.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning comes about like a strike of lightning accompanied by the bang of thunder. Her loud, boisterous voice awakens Hordak from where he rested on the cot. They’d previously had a little back and forth the night before on who would take it. After some time, his partner relented, and yet now he finds himself in her place with her figure hovering above him.</p><p>Perhaps she had moved him after sleep inevitably took him.</p><p>“Good morning! Look, I’ve got something for you.” Her fingers are perched on her metallic welding mask, shoving it up to reveal one of her signature wide smiles. The skin of her cheeks dimples under the stretch. “Do you power down when you sleep, by the way? I found you surprisingly easy to move after you rested. I never got to experience that back in the fright zone. I wasn’t sure if you slept to begin with.”</p><p>She shoves something against his chest-still clothed in those white garments-and it elicits a slightly annoyed grunt from him. Reluctantly, he plucks the object from her grasp, holding it up to his eyes to inspect it. His hand dwarfs the tiny chip while his fingers sense a sharp point that’s hidden at the back of it. The colour is a familiar red that, soon, he hopes to be one with again.</p><p>“It’s a tracker! I made it into a pin, so you can decide when to wear it or not. Now if you go missing, I can find out where you’ve gone. I really should have made something like this before, it would have made finding you on the ship a lot easier.” She sits back down onto her knees, her hands clutching them at the front as she stares with wide eyes. Slowly, he rises up into a sitting position. For once, Entrapta’s eyes follow where he goes, never straying from their course.</p><p>“…You expect me to go missing?” His ears twitch, tempted to lean backwards. “It would be more appropriate if I was to make one for you. In fact, perhaps I should have installed such a thing in the uniforms…”</p><p>“Oh! Good idea. I should get on that. But that might have to wait for later. There’s so much stuff we have to do today! Do you think they’ll let me look at all the technology in the abandoned ship? Will I need to hook you up to the software to access the information inside of the system? I did that previously with Wrong Hordak.”</p><p>He watches as she bounces excitedly in place, her hands opening and closing. The mention of the other clone tugs roughly at the corner of his mouth. The ridge of his eye slants in irritation. He’s yet to meet this… rebel that assisted her in their adventure, but he certainly feels a strong sense of distaste at the idea that someone else could provide her with the support that he was unable to give. Ideally, the person in that position should have been him.</p><p>It’s just another mistake.</p><p>“It may be possible for you to gain access. However, that would not be my decision.” His claws fumble with the little pin, slowly bringing it up to the space between his collarbones and piercing the point through the fabric that covers it.<br/>
A deep breath escapes him as he hovers his fingertips over the object. The weight, however slight, brings him an odd sense of security. He tosses the idea of thanking her around on his tongue. Those two words feel uncomfortable; have his jaw twitching.</p><p>“Entrapta?”</p><p>Both Hordak’s and Entrapta’s heads turn to look at the open flap of their tent where they are met with the figure of Glimmer, peeking through almost shyly to examine the interior. Once she discovers that there is nothing she shouldn’t be seeing, she brushes it aside and steps in. Her posture is more assertive now, at least in comparison to the recollections that float around his mind.</p><p>“I hope you slept well. You and Hordak are going to come with me.”</p><p>Ah. This must be the questioning, he thinks. Entrapta, lower lip pushing upwards, furrows her brows at the demand.<br/>
“What? But there’s so much reconstruction that needs to be done!”<br/>
Glimmer rolls her eyes, fingers twitching while she keeps herself from placing her palm against her forehead.<br/>
“My dad is helping me with organizing the recovery effort. We’ve already started assigning things to different people. Before some of that can be done, we need to know if the two of you happened to put down anything that didn’t go off yet. We need to know the full extent of all of this.”</p><p>Entrapta hums, bubbling her left cheek before swishing the pocket of air to her left and back again. Finally, she stands up, a length of hair wrapped around Hordak’s arm as she assists in tugging him upwards.<br/>
“Okay. Where are we going?”</p><p>“To Brightmoon.”</p>
<hr/><p>Questionings have to happen separately. Glimmer notes that as she guides Entrapta to one private room, Hordak instantly follows suit. She has to pause in her steps so she can intercept his path. He halts as soon as she’s in his way.<br/>
“We need to take your statements apart from each other.”<br/>
Knowing that unsettles him in various ways: he is uncomfortable with the emptiness in his vision that was once focused on lilac hair and exaggerated gesticulations, he is disturbed by his continued need to follow another, and he questions if such a disturbance could potentially cause him to stray into apathy once again.</p><p>He does not desire to be a follower, to return back to the way Prime had once viewed him. His innate urge to serve makes him nauseous. However, to lead, to be powerful as he once was, caused havoc and damage to be done. The only thing left is to be equals, to respect those on the same standing as him, but none could ever reach such a lowly status.<br/>
He thinks about the flick of a cat’s tail. Well, maybe there would be just one.</p><p>“Very well.”</p><p>Glimmer squints in suspicion, holding a door open for him to walk into. He knows she will not get what she wants from this. Hopefully, Entrapta will be able to fill in the gaps, even if she is not entirely aware of the full plans of his army. Or is she? Perhaps she had perused the files. He felt no need to keep her eyes away from them, not after the completion of his armour.</p><p>“My memory may not be sufficient for this.”<br/>
They both sit at a table. Glimmer is directly across from him, her forearms resting on the chair as she leans back.<br/>
“Adora healed you. You’re not just another clone anymore. You can’t use ignorance as an excuse.”<br/>
He shifts in his seat, lifting one leg to rest over the other. “My memories have returned to me in fragments. The farther back an event has happened, the less likely I will be to remember it. I am not fully aware of each and every wrong I have done in my time because of this.”<br/>
“So you don’t remember sending my father to Beast Island?” Her palms, fingers splayed outwards, slam against the table. His ears perk and tilt towards the sound. Beyond the door, a group is murmuring.</p><p>Then, Adora enters the room. She takes Glimmer back out with her. Now, he sits alone in the empty quarters.<br/>
That is until a familiar cacophony of deep rumblings emits from the vent.</p>
<hr/><p>“I saw it happen. He just… accepted it, he asked for it. I don’t know how many times he went through it, but something like that has got to fuck up your brain somehow, right?” Catra leans against the wall. Glimmer and Adora form a clumsy triangle as they discuss the current situation with each other.<br/>
“We can’t just let someone go because they forgot about what they did.” Glimmer states. “Plus, letting them stay together isn’t right either. He’s a bad influence on her.”<br/>
“I don’t think we’d be able to keep Entrapta away from something even if we tried.” Adora gives something of an uncomfortable smile to her friend. The tech princess is not traditionally a rule-follower, especially if she happens to disagree with something.<br/>
“That doesn’t make it okay.” Glimmer says.</p><p>“We can’t forget about the whole crazy clone thing too. Couldn’t he count as brainwashed?” It’s surprising that Catra appears to be vouching for the former warlord despite everything he’s done to her.<br/>
“Wrong Hordak was pulled from the hivemind as well and I don’t see him trying to take over a planet.”<br/>
“Yeah, well, he had a support system. Wasn’t like he was alone to just do whatever.”<br/>
“Sure, but are you saying after all this time he’s been disconnected he’s never once thought that maybe he’s hurting innocent people?”<br/>
Catra looks to the side and says nothing.</p><p>“I think Catra has a point. We should at least look into the clones before coming to a decision. We don’t fully understand everything right now.”<br/>
Glimmer looks at Adora, her eyes slightly widened at the agreement. Her mouth opens to let out a retort until she is interrupted by a flick of Catra’s right ear, causing the girl to push her way closer to the door.</p><p>“What? What is it?” Glimmer reaches for the handle and flings the door open. Catra takes the opportunity to venture further down the hallway. She’d rather not risk the chance that Hordak still holds a grudge on her for her earlier betrayal.</p><p>Inside of the room is Hordak, sitting stiffly, while a poorly hidden Entrapta huddles behind his chair. His hands are clasped together in front of him as he lays them on the surface of the table. Adora and Glimmer exchange a pair of looks.</p><p>“How-“<br/>
“You are mistaken. Entrapta is not here.”</p><p>Adora tries her best not to laugh.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Jealousy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>if hordak was a cat he'd be hissing right now</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“Doesn’t that count as a mitigating factor?</em><br/>
<em>“That doesn’t mean we can just excuse it all entirely.”</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Tumbling into the unofficial ‘interrogation’ room perhaps did not lend itself to gaining favour in the face of those that were in charge of their fate. Entrapta was simply insatiable after their unification though. She had blueprints to show him, feedback to gain, and the ability to bounce ideas off of an organic life form that wouldn’t be hindered by following programmed specifications. It’s unfortunate that creativity doesn’t typically lend itself to A.I.</p><p>This little event may be the reason why they have been given a ‘chaperone’ of sorts.</p><p>“Brother! Finally, we meet. I am so honoured to be in your presence as you were one of the first that saw through prime’s lies! Yes! Prime is a false prophet!” His voice is just as loud as Entrapta’s and, strangely, he finds the pitch to be grating despite his general indifference to his companion’s volume. A frown carves further down his face as he watches this other clone slowly look to other passing members as they walk through the open clearing, all too eager to remind the freed individuals that Big Brother was wrong.</p><p>With a wide grin, he quickly reaches out and grasps Hordak’s hand as he looks towards him again. His grip is quite strong, enough to jostle his arm as Wrong Hordak engages in a handshake that is unnecessarily rough.</p><p>“…You are the one who was given a name, then.” He slips his hand out of the other’s, face slightly scrunched up in distaste at the contact. It takes more than he’d like to admit to keep himself from blatantly wiping his palm on his own uniform to make his feelings personally clear. Wrong Hordak doesn’t cower or try to rebuff him. Instead, he continues to smile brightly with his hands clasped in front of his chest.</p><p>“Yes, and it has been wondrous! Oh! I see you have been practising your facial expressions as well. I would like to try.” He raises a hand above his forehead, the tips of his fingers pointed to the side. Slowly, he slides it down his face - as if he were to wipe something off – revealing a heavy scowl after it reaches his chin. Hordak gives him a glare as he wonders if this is truly what he looks like. The younger clone must be exaggerating, what with the tilted down ears, the frown that threatens to stretch out the skin of his cheeks, and his brow ridge furrowed to the point where his eyes appear to be half-lidded.</p><p>“Amazing! You look just like him!” Entrapta says.</p><p>How he wishes he had a mirror right now to assess if this was true.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>“Brightmoon’s whole thing is that rehabilitation matters more than punishment, isn’t it? When do you decide that something is enough punishment?”</em><br/>
<em>“You can’t be serious. Non-violent crimes are leagues different something of this scale?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“But wouldn’t it be better to have him rehabilitated?"</em><br/>
<em>“Can we afford him that trust after seeing what he's willing to do?"</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>He’s thankful that Entrapta is much too focused on her surroundings to note the (hopefully) subtle changes he’s begun to show. Without conscious thought, he finds himself stepping between the princess and the ‘wrong’ clone. If he gets too close, he’ll stand in front like a shield. Such luck cannot continue during their entire venture outside and, finally, she feels the need to say something.</p><p>“Is your species typically solitary? I’ve noticed signs of probable hostility towards Wrong Hordak. You were similar when we first met too. Maybe being disconnected from the hivemind is allowing some of your previously dormant genetic instincts to come out?” Her eyes are entirely focused on the framework of a bot, supposedly designed to assist in construction efforts.</p><p>“We are quite different from our… original prototypes. Alterations were made in order to increase efficiency and minimize potential weaknesses. I am unaware if we would have any traits leftover that could reemerge because of this process” he replies, handing her a tool as she holds out an open palm towards him. For now, he is not allowed to directly interact with any complex form of tech. They must worry about potential destructive devices he could come up with.</p><p>“Then we shall be an entirely new species, Brother. Princess, do you think it is possible we could learn more about ourselves? I am left to wonder what things we are capable of that were never talked about.” Wrong Hordak (who is unfortunately still here) ambles up behind his genetic twin. He’s taken to having his hair slightly tousled and a more relaxed posture in comparison to Hordak’s authoritative stance and immaculate appearance.<br/>
“Definitely! It will be a lot easier now that we have more samples to work with. I’m not really proficient in the realm of biological sciences, but I’ve been looking into them more recently now. Hordak has a better comprehension of the subject.”</p><p>A compliment. He does not smile, but the frown on his face is not exactly so rough anymore. His head angles to the left, casting his gaze just enough away from the woman working in front of him.<br/>
“My expertise is related to genetics. Behaviourism was deemed unimportant and thus not included in the scope of my studies.”</p><p>“Hordak usually gets a little fussy when it comes to personal experiments anyways,” says Entrapta, “but if you want, we could work on collecting the information together. I could bring it back to Hordak for a second look once we’re done, just in case he has additional comments.”</p><p>“I would be delighted to join you on such a mission.” Wrong Hordak has the ability to maintain an innocence that those around him appear to coo over. The former warlord can see that it has to do with the genuineness in his tone and the widening of his eyes, the green colour catching the light and refracting off of it like stars against a night sky.</p><p>“That will <em>not</em> be necessary.”</p><p>They both turn to look at him. He feels a bit unnerved by the attention. To the best of his ability, he steels himself and attempts to look undisturbed. He folds his arms behind his back before he speaks up again.<br/>
“I will be assisting Entrapta. There was simply a misunderstanding. I was not getting… ‘fussy’ in prior situations. I was simply more focused on maintaining the Horde. Now that I am no longer a commander, I am free to engage in more frivolous inquiries.”</p><p>He’s not stupid. He knows the slight swelling in his gut is something akin to envy. He has felt it before under the authority of Prime. He had thought of himself as a general in their ranks, convincing himself that Big Brother called upon him more than most, that he hosted his brilliance far more often. In moments where that would be called into question, he’d feel the beginning flames of anger start to spark within him at the cadet that ‘threatened’ his position.<br/>
In this case, he will not be replaced as Entrapta’s cohort. Wrong Hordak has shown his trustworthiness by assisting the rebellion, but that does not mean there couldn’t be other <em>predilections</em> that may arise after time spent together.</p><p>He would claim to know nothing about that of course, but the princess does have a way of settling into people’s hearts.</p><p>“Wonderful! I will do my part to help in whatever way possible. Please, do not hesitate to ask.”</p><p>Hordak lets out a hushed growl from the back of his throat. Part of his lip rises up to reveal bared green teeth at the other. Wrong Hordak instinctively steps back.<br/>
Entrapta wraps a tendril of hair around her lab partner and tugs him backwards.</p><p>“Hordak log 1: potential defensive traits exhibited when in close proximity to an unfamiliar organism. Make note to design a sleeping chart and refer to it. Subject may simply just be cranky due to lack of rest.”</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<em>"Those actions are still his. Even if he forgets, other people can't."</em><br/>
<em>"You're right. But you'll have to punish more than just him. You can't make exceptions and then go back on them. We've all done some fucked up shit."</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>man i should consider rewriting the first two chapters or smth I'm still adjusting to getting back into writing but maybe I'll just view this fic as an experiment to get me back on my feet</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Separation Anxiety</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They're not part of the Horde anymore, but they're still surely troublemakers.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There is no time for deep decision-making. Retribution must wait until the most important things are finished. The rebuilding of homes, of cities, and the welfare of those affected is deemed a higher priority than a conclusive verdict.</p><p>This is how he finds himself in a spare room in the Brightmoon castle. They’ve labeled it as… ‘house arrest’, with his temporary residence apparently being relegated to the opulent royal venue. Frankly, such a choice was quite merciful, at least from what he could gather from his sporadic recollections.</p><p>He finds no problem with it.<br/>
Mostly.</p><p>Entrapta cannot be confined to one space – at least, not without something to preoccupy her. She has, of course, begun to delve into her studies of clone genetics after the other clone brought up the idea to her. Her knowledge is surprisingly comprehensive for someone that focuses mostly on technology. She explained to him that she once took to examining psychology and neurology on the pretense that her ability to communicate with other people would increase, but such studies did not lead to the result she was expecting;</p><p>“For some reason,” she speaks as she sits beside him on the cushy bed, hand cradling his face while her thumb stretches his lip upward to examine the sharp teeth behind, “people don’t like it when you’re direct with them. Well, sometimes they don’t like it. Other times it’s encouraged, I think. Do you think there’s potential in a device that could display which areas of the brain are currently active? It doesn’t always play into mood, but it can be a good predictor for it! Maybe like some sort of… mood ring?”</p><p>She rambles freely and with such exuberance that he does find himself softening his usually stern expression into something warmer, allowing the curve of his lips to slightly perk upwards when she’s finally done with her examination of his gums. Such a look does not fit on his face – what with the juxtaposition of his sharp angles that make up his jawline and general structure – but she has yet to make any complaints of it.</p><p>He should think his issue would be of her closeness. Their separation has made her far more eager to get near him, to touch him.</p><p>But it is not.</p><p>She inevitably has to leave. Sometimes it is to have her meals, sometimes it is to rest, but mostly it is to attend to other duties that call for her efforts in the reconstruction process. As much as their… friendship has cemented itself, the call of otherworldly tech and the chance to build things that are big are a siren’s call that simply cannot be ignored. Thus, he finds himself alone. At times, he even stands up as she goes to exit in an instinctual need to follow her. A tendril of hair always stops him as she looks over her shoulder, a slightly sad smile on her face.<br/>
“I’ll be back soon. Oh! I’ll ask the other princesses if I can bring you back a piece to tinker with when I come back.”</p><p>So, there he stays, in his usual formal stance where his hands are folded behind the small of his back as he watches the door close after her. His ears twitch at the sound of a lock clicking into place. There is a guard stationed outside of his domain, one that he’s never caught a glimpse of personally. The most he knows is that it isn’t a clone.</p><p>The absence of her drives him restless. There is nothing to do here except to simply wait for her to come back.</p><p>Then again, if he were Entrapta, there would surely be another option.</p><p>He glances at the bed, eyeing a pillow that rests atop the freshly made sheets. After a moment of hesitation, he steps forward and picks it up. With one claw, he hooks the point into the fabric, sliding a cut that is just long enough to tug a feather out of it.</p>
<hr/><p>“This is amazing! Can you imagine what I could do with some of these parts? Some of these techniques could be applied to future projects!” Entrapta gesticulates wildly with her hair, strands divided into five sections to look like fingers and a thumb rising up towards the sun in excitement before they hurriedly grasp for another data-pad. Emily beeps in response.</p><p>The sound of rustling bushes has the robot hoisting herself up higher with her legs.</p><p>“Hordak?”</p><p>His hair is in disarray; some locks strewn wildly out of place and falling onto his forehead. He clears his throat as he raises his leg to step over another piece of foliage, narrowly missing colliding with a tree branch as he goes through.</p><p>“Did Adora let you out early? Maybe she wants us to collaborate to figure things out? I totally vouched for your technical prowess but some of the others were just not having it. I guess they just had to think about it a little more.” Her smile is easy, casual, but her eyes are bright with excitement. Her jitteriness goes all the way to her hair, causing it to brace itself on the ground so that she can gently bounce in place.</p><p>“…No. I was not given explicit permission to leave.”</p><p>His mouth tightens to a firm line as her joyfulness slowly turns to confusion. The energy coursing through her mellows as she approaches him, using her hair to lift herself up to his height.<br/>
“So you broke out? Were you not feeling well? Noticing the return of anything particularly concerning? Did you have a really good idea for something that you just had to tell me?”</p><p>He opens his mouth to respond.<br/>
Then he immediately closes it.</p><p>He had no reason to do this, to follow her. She was going to return to him at a later time, the amenities were not horrible and were surely more than he deserved, and there was nothing he really needed either.</p><p>His reason for leaving was because he had a yearning for her presence; a compulsion to be at her side that he found himself relishing and detesting at the same time. Entrapta was not someone he should worship. She was not a replacement. She was not perfect, not as Prime had depicted herself.</p><p>Her imperfection is what draws him to her. She is boisterous, reckless, and often too trusting for her own good. Along with her being a vulnerable and weak species, there is nothing of value he should see in her. Yet, despite these flaws, she manages to be brilliant. She manages to be useful, to have confidence in her purpose, to excel in areas that Hordak has studied for far longer.<br/>
She is an example that there is hope for someone like him.</p><p>Still, the lingering feeling remains.</p><p>Still, it is not enough to keep him from her.</p><p>“...Were you lonely?” she finally says. He’s been silent, drowning in his own thoughts, as she remains hovering in front of him. He blinks, clearing his throat as his ears threaten to lower themselves.</p><p>“I do not get lonely. Your companionship is a benefit, but I am capable of being on my own. I just do not see much use in keeping me confined when putting me to work would ensure faster progress.”</p><p>“Yeah, that’s what I’ve been saying. I mean, there’s no Horde left, so I can’t see you using anything here for conquering.” she gestures over to the pile of scrap she has scavenged from the ship. He finds himself not wanting to look at it.</p><p>“Would you allow me to assist you, then?”</p><p>She grins, lowering herself back onto her feet. She grabs her arm with her hands and tugs him forward.<br/>
“Sure! With your insider knowledge, you can help identify what some of these parts are made of, considering the materials could be inaccessible on our planet.”</p><p>She leads him to the pile, picking up pieces and waiting for his tentative explanation on what they are and their typical purpose. It has him thinking about his former Big Brother.</p><p>Prime had allowed him to live where once he had not. Before, it was taken as mercy. Now, he sees that Prime was merely frustrated. Another being had taken the place that he was meant to grace in one of his clone’s head.<br/>
His continued survival was an effort to prove to him that he could truly captivate anyone, could control anyone fully.</p><p>If this is the case, then Entrapta has saved him once again. It is because of her that the one who controlled him took a risk for the sake of pride, and it is because of her that he remains able to sit amongst the soft grass of the woods as she jubilantly talks about her ideas for new inventions that make use of various new tech pieces. The sun’s rays cause light to refract against the metal she holds, glittering like a diamond.</p><p>There is a light, fluttering feeling in his chest.</p>
<hr/><p>Back in the make-shift prison room, a jumble of pillows lays underneath some sheets, carefully placed in such a way that the form appears to be of one sleeping underneath. The guard that checks on him periodically opens the door to the room.</p><p>The lights are off. Luckily, there is no alarm sounded.</p><p>He’ll get away with it this time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>im love entrapta</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Siblings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Light-hearted shenanigans for a cruel and uncaring world.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>everyone was enamoured by jealous hordak so who am i not to deliver</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Imprisonment proves to be a complication.</p><p>His ‘unsupervised excursions’ aside, it puts a hefty limitation on what he is able to do and accomplish. The princesses have essentially put him on the backburner as a problem for later. He must admit, the thought of going from a feared warlord to just being another issue to be dealt with aggravates him somewhat. Nonetheless, it’s a mercy he has to be grateful for, in some ways.</p><p>It’s just unfortunate that Entrapta feels compelled to bring <em>him </em>along as well.</p><p>“Do you know if this is a new body?” she asks in the midst of her flurry of motions. The vacant stare of his green eyes leaves no evidence that he follows her every movement as she swings her head to varying angles as her examination of him continues. His kin stands to the side with those annoyingly bright eyes of him, his mouth popped inwards to further emphasize his own enthusiastic curiosity.</p><p>“…I am not able to recall. Such a thing would be impossible to know unless the information was given to me directly from Prime himself. Though the hivemind allowed for a fluid passage of information, there were such things that even he deemed unimportant.” He sits so stiffly in comparison to the ‘wrong’ version of him, something he only notes because he is decidedly uncomfortable with the proximity of the clone to Entrapta. His efforts to scare the youth had worked with the unintentional side effect of causing him to get closer to the princess so he doesn’t set off Hordak.</p><p>“I guess that makes sense. I mean, people don’t remember being born, right? But I think it’s possible that this is actually your original body.” A tendril of her hair reaches out to the bedside table to collect her laptop while she sits properly on the mattress.<br/>
“I can’t be too sure, but I noticed several abnormalities when compared to Wrong Hordak. In order to get a better understanding, I asked for a few samples from the other clones too. The first thing is this:“ she spins the laptop around so he can see the crude graphic of him that’s presented on the screen alongside various other diagrams, “one of the genes in your system has a mutation that disables it from actually doing its job. This one in particular is, from what I’ve seen, important in nutrition, so if it doesn’t work, then that means your body isn’t able to make something that it needs!”</p><p>He feels his ears tip back slightly. After doing such a thing as rising up against his brother, he thought he’d be able to face such petty terms like 'abnormalities' and 'mutations' without his insides feeling as though they are being twisted. He doesn’t say anything in response, simply skims over the data that’s in front of him. Her notes of possible effects that can be caused by such a minor defect in his genetics do sound similar to what he experienced: mood changes, general body pain, shortness of breath, skin discolouration, etc.</p><p>“Are the rations insufficient then? I have been learning to cook a variety of things with the Etherians, so perhaps I may be able to provide my brother with something that will keep his strength up.”</p><p>Ah. Right. The other one is still here.</p><p>“Oo! I could help you! I’ll just have to find what foods have the highest content of the vitamin I’m looking for first. Then we can try and make something out of it!” The sheer strength of her smile causes her eyes to close. Before she can potentially go on a tangent of brainstorming a meal plan with Wrong Hordak, Hordak himself makes sure to raise a fist to his mouth and clear his throat.</p><p>“And what was the… other things that you noticed. That was the first one, so please inform me of what is beyond that.”</p><p>“Oh yeah! It’s just one other thing. I think you might have been taken out before your recovery period was fully complete. There are still areas that don’t seem fully restored – or maybe they’re just not fully developed! I guess it’s possible that this <em>is </em>a new body and you were just taken out before your gestation was done.”</p><p>That causes the ears of Wrong Hordak to perk up. He points a finger at him while staring incredulously at Entrapta.<br/>
“Like me?”</p><p>“Maybe…? I need to know more about how the process went. Right now I think it’s likely that there were two phases and that me and Bow <em>might</em> have broken you during the second stage, which is like a programming one? That would explain how the damage was centred entirely around your ability to connect with the hivemind.”</p><p>Hordak really does not need another reason for this troglodyte to continue pestering him. He hopes that such a revelation does not inspire a need to bond, or something trivial like that. Luckily, that is not where the conversation leads.</p><p>“…If more information would be useful to you, then perhaps I could accompany you onto Big Brother- I mean, ah, the False One’s ship. I would be able to extract necessary data if you repeated what we did back on Krytis.”</p><p>“The data does not need <em>you </em>in order to be extracted.”</p><p>The corner of his lip curls downwards as his arms cross themselves over his chest.</p><p>“Oh, but it’d be really helpful! I wouldn’t be able to look at any of the data that’s been pulled because of the language barrier, but if I brought Wrong Hordak with me, then he could translate the information!” She interrupts herself with a gasp as her hands cup the sides of her face. “You could be like a lab assistant! It’s like we’re building a whole team!”</p><p>Assistant.<br/>
It isn’t ‘partner’, but he feels his fingers curl around his arms a bit tighter, pretending that the title has gained tangibility in a way where he could squeeze the life out of it. Before a reply can be made from the wonderstruck clone that seems as equally excited by the prospect, Hordak stands up from the bed.</p><p>“I believe he has more important things to worry about, such as his own identity. I should think a proper name would be a more suitable pursuit. I tire of sharing a moniker with him.”</p><p>Beneath the narrowing glare of Hordak’s eyes, the younger clone’s ears begin to flick downwards. Entrapta hums in acknowledgement, seemingly unaware of the heavier atmosphere that has dropped itself between the two brothers.<br/>
“It is kind of a mouthful, isn’t it? But… you’re right, Hordak, I think Wrong Hordak should set out and discover who he is! And should probably give himself his own name. Still, couldn’t going onboard the ship and experimenting in science give him a perspective on things? Maybe it turns out he likes it! I should probably line up some other possible activities and from there we can figure out which one he likes best. How about as the first test we see if he’s interested in our project?”</p><p>She leaps off the bed, propelled by her hair, and scurries over to the door.<br/>
The project she mentions is a prototype for a security system. He had… proposed such an idea to her during one of their walks, theorizing that his assistance in creating something that could essentially ensure his captivity may give the others more of a reason to trust him. Surely someone with the remaining urge to conquer would never make something that could work against him, yes? If that can be done, then it is simply a slow and steady journey to eventually allowing him to be outside of this cell during reconstruction.</p><p>It means he can continue to be by Entrapta’s side and ensure her safety.</p><p>“It’s a type of technological containment that allows the person to move freely. A moveable chamber sounds like it would be optimal, but then you can essentially use it as a weapon itself. So, with this, it analyzes muscle strain and decides when to activate based on that.”</p><p>She holds up one of the five metal bands that they’ve been tinkering with. As she talks, she absent-mindedly spins it around on one finger.<br/>
“This one reads muscle tension in one of the arm-“</p><p>The sound of something beeping erratically in her pocket catches her attention. Without a second thought, she tosses the band over to Wrong Hordak – who clumsily juggles it in his hands for a few seconds before safely getting it in his grasp – to pull out some form of communicator. The light in her eyes brightens further at whatever she sees. He can tell that her contained excitement has manifested into a sudden burst of energy that is just waiting to be released.</p><p>“I need to go! Important business. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Hordak, explain the rest to him while I’m gone. No fighting either!”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>And just like that she is gone, stumbling through a hastily thrown open door so she can perch herself on a waiting Emily that remained parked outside of the room. The guard maintains an indifferent expression as he closes the entrance once more. Tendrils of Entrapta’s hair streaking through the air is the last the two can see of her through the sliver of the door.</p><p>He wonders what she had to go do- a thought that is displaced quickly by Wrong Hordak’s obvious stares at his person. For a moment, he thinks about not showing him how it works at all.<br/>
But then again, this could be beneficiary to him. A smirk splits across his face as he turns to the younger one.<br/>
“Demonstrations are a simple way of understanding the functions of something. It is also important that a new device is tested on a variety of persons and circumstances so ensure its versatility. In order to further our research and your continued learning, I would like to test it on you.”</p><p>His ears perk upwards. A slight crinkle to the corner of his eyes makes it seem as if even those empty green orbs are somehow grinning back at him. He bites back his distaste and forces the completely untrustworthy smirk to remain on his face. His softer smiles are reserved for tender moments.</p><p>“Of course, Brother. I would be honoured to help you. What must I do?”</p><p>“Simply slip it onto your arm. Then, I would like you to make a tight fist with the hand attached to said arm.”</p><p>His kind was always good at following orders. Oblivious to any potential underhanded-tactics, Wrong Hordak does as instructed and threads his hand through the opening of the loop until it sits comfortably snug on his bicep. With a nod to Hordak, he creates a suitable amount of tension in his arm.</p><p>The band begins to glow, casting a soft shade of purple against the white that the clone is adorned in. From within a narrow slot in the metal, a length of more material shoots outwards, snaking around his body until his arms are pressed flat against his side. Entrapta likened the movement to something like a tape-measurer during the conception stage of the device.</p><p>It tightens once more; a soft buzzing sound entering Hordak’s ears as the clone yelps and is suddenly knocked off his feet and onto the floor. Without the use of his arms, he does not seem able to get himself up properly.</p><p>“It seems very effective, Brother. I congratulate you on a successful project! I would like to take a closer look at it and see where the mechanism is located. What is the procedure to disengage the constraints?”</p><p>Wordlessly, Hordak looms over the other. His hands neatly fold themselves behind his back. After a moment of silence, he steps towards the bed once more and pulls out a book that’s been tucked inside of the bedside drawer.</p><p>“Brother?”</p><p>There’s no answer. Hordak simply sits down on the mattress and begins to read.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i think there's a missed opportunity in the fandom to portray the hordak and wrong hordak dynamic as an actual sibling dynamic. you know, the one where your older sibling randomly body slams you because seeing ur sibling causes an instinctual need to Bully Them</p><p>not like in a serious way some of the time but. if u have siblings u know what i mean. anyways hordak is a serious character with very non-serious undertones he's a stupid edgelord and entrapta needs to be there to keep him from being mean its like that scene from lilo and stitch where lilo colours in a graph to show how bad stitch is and its like 90% bad</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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